Last Updated on February 18, 2026 8:43 pm by BIZNAMA NEWS
AMN
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a series of bilateral meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. The Prime Minister held a meeting with the President of Spain Pedro Sanchez, at Hyderabad House this morning. Both leaders discussed a wide range of issues aimed at deepening the India-Spain partnership.
The External Affairs Ministry said in a statement that key areas discussed include trade and economy, digital innovation, health, climate action and education, among others. Prime Minister Modi conveyed his appreciation for Spain’s consistent support for strong India-EU relations. In a social media post, Mr Modi said they discussed ways to boost the India-Spain friendship, especially in areas such as defence, security, technology and more.
He said the historic Free Trade Agreement with the EU will have a very positive impact on the economic partnership with Spain and provide new opportunities to the people of both nations. He added that both nations are marking 2026 as the India-Spain Year of Culture, Tourism and AI. Mr Modi said this will deepen people-to-people linkages. He expressed happiness at the big delegation of Universities who have come to India, saying this will go a long way in connecting people.
The Prime Minister also held talks with the Prime Minister of Finland Antti Petteri Orpo. They discussed cooperation in sustainability and digitalisation, AI research, ethical innovation and how Indian talent can strengthen bilateral collaboration. Prime Minister commended Finland’s efforts as an emerging innovation player in AI.
The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing responsible, talent-driven AI and harnessing tech-enabled solutions for a sustainable future. The Prime Minister said India and Finland aim to double trade, thus giving a strong boost to economic linkages. They also talked about enhancing cooperation in futuristic technologies like 6G, innovation, clean energy, biofuels, and the circular economy.
Mr Modi also held talks with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, on the sidelines of the Summit. The two leaders discussed avenues to strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade and investment, AI, fintech, education, agriculture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges. They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. The External Affairs Ministry said that India and Serbia are long-standing friends and the ties are underpinned by close bonds between the people. Mr Modi also held bilateral talks with Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenkovic.
The Prime Minister met the President of Estonia Alar Karis. Both leaders reviewed various facets of India-Estonia relations, underlining the potential for further cooperation in digital technologies and deepening people-to-people ties. They welcomed the historic conclusion of negotiations on the India-EU FTA and reiterated its early implementation, noting that it will spur growth, create jobs, and deliver tangible economic benefits to the people. Both leaders also appreciated the adoption of the Joint India-European Union Comprehensive Strategic Agenda. They also exchanged views on global and regional issues of mutual interest.
Mr Modi held bilateral discussions with his Kazakh counterpart, Olzhas Bektenov. The leaders discussed ways to strengthen strategic partnership and deepen bilateral cooperation in all sectors, including trade, defence and security, connectivity, energy, emerging technologies, and people-to-people ties.
During the discussions of Mr Modi with his Bhutanese counterpart, Tshering Tobgay, the two leaders reviewed the progress in bilateral cooperation in energy, connectivity, development partnership and people-to-people connect. They expressed support for harnessing AI for inclusive and human-centric progress and agreed to further strengthen cooperation in AI and digital tech space. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to work closely to further strengthen the India-Bhutan partnership anchored in trust, goodwill and mutual respect.
Earlier this morning, Prime Minister Modi met Google CEO Sundar Pichai, who is also in the city to attend the India AI Impact Summit. In a social media post, Mr Modi said they talked about the work India is doing in AI and how Google can work with India’s talented students and professionals in this field.
